Al Hood - Just a Little Taste

[GA Russell]

So two middle-aged college professors in the music dept. of a school in Denver I have never heard of before (not that I have heard of every college in America) are chatting, and one says, "Wouldn't it be fun to do a CD with orchestra?" So they apply for a grant, and surprise! it's approved. The result is Just a Little Taste - Al Hood Plays the Writings of Dave Hanson.

Now that sounds to me like the recipe for a really mediocre record, but it's not! Al Hood is a trumpeter whose prior claim to fame is that he had a trumpet solo on Phil Collins' 1999 album A Hot Night in Paris. He has a great, rich, mellow, full sound, spending most of his time in the lower register. (The bio that came with the album says that he can comfortably hit a high F.)

Dave Hanson wrote the charts and half of the songs. The arrangements dominate the album. It could just have easily been called "Dave Hanson featuring Al Hood". One of Hood's favorite albums is Clifford Brown with Strings, and so that album was used as a reference/inspiration. The core band is trumpet, piano, bass and drums. In addition to the string section, the instruments include flute, oboe, french horn, and one track each with alto sax, tenor sax and vocals.

The standards are Ceora, Pure Imagination, In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning, If I Loved You, I Remember Clifford and a song Shirley Horn did called Here's to Life.

Speaking of Pure Imagination, you learn something new every day. I didn't know that it was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, and that it is from the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Although the disc is on the "Al Hood Music" label, it is up on Amazon and various download sites as well as CD Baby.

If either Hood or Hanson were famous, I think that this album would be a best seller.

(By the way, they are on the University of Denver faculty.)

[Free For All]

I know Al, I did a gig with him & the Colorado Jazz Orchestra last summer. Al is a MF, a real force of nature- it is a shame he's not better known.

I'll definitely check out this side!

BTW, that Shirley Horn side you mentioned (Here's To Life) is also a MF, great Johnny Mandel arrangements.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Free For All

[clifford_thornton]

Didn't Al Hood have a record cut on the West Coast on maybe Au Roar or something? Kinda "free?"

[fkimbrough]

I went to Arizona State in the late 70's, and Dave Hanson was there at the time - he was a very impressive pianist and tenor saxophonist, and at the time, he was my hero. Even though I didn't see him again for almost 30 years, I always remembered him, and wondered what had become of him in the intervening years. As luck would have it, he was at a gig I did in Denver a few years ago, and we finally had a chance to reconnect. Great guy, and a great talent. Very gratifying to see his music documented.